John 15:5 says, "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing." The branches can only grow and produce twigs, leaves, flowers, and fruits as long as they are attached to the vine or the main trunk. The vine supports and supplies everything that the branches need to grow and function. In addition, the branches grew out of the vine. It means that the branches cannot exist apart from the vine. John 15:6 says, "Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned." When we disconnect ourselves from God, we cannot grow in our spiritual life; we will not be able to produce spiritual fruits. The reason we feel distant from God at times is that we are not getting the spiritual nutrients from our God because our thoughts and desires are not aligned with His. We are distracted by the worries of this world or the things of this world. We worry about our problems apart from God. Instead of relying on Him to resolve our problems, we try to fix them on our own.
When our minds and hearts pursue God, we receive the spiritual nutrients we need to handle the challenges we face. Spending time in the Word of God, listening to sermons and Christian music, or doing our daily devotions helps us focus our hearts and minds on God. As our minds and hearts focus on God, we are strengthened and encouraged to face our obstacles. When we remain in God daily, God then can help and support us with His immeasurable power and strength. His power and strength give us the energy, wisdom, and resources to grow in our spiritual life and produce spiritual fruits, regardless of what is going on in our lives. We can never lose hope as long as we are attached to our vine. When our strength is gone, and we cannot bear the burden of life, our vine supports us and carries us through life.
The reason we are the branches and God is the vine is that we cannot do anything apart from God. We cannot carry our own burden because it is the way He made us to be. The more we try to carry our burden and not rely on God, the more we are overcome by our fear. God made us to remain in Him every day.
Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) What happens when my heart and mind are not aligned with God? Why do I need to remain in God daily? What practical lesson that I learn from today's devotion?
Take a moment to write down all your worries today. Then, lift them to God in prayer, surrendering them to His will and trusting in His guidance.
Prayer:
Dear Father in Heaven, thank you for being my vine. Please help me to remain in you daily so that you may supply everything that I need to grow in my spiritual walk and produce spiritual fruits despite challenges in life. I acknowledge that I cannot do anything apart from you. You made me to remain in you so that I can do the things that you have called me to do. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
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